With the Texas Legislature concluding its third special session on Oct. 19, all new district maps for the Congressional, Senate, House and State Board of Education seats have been passed and were signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Oct. 25.
According to the Texas Constitution, Article 4, Section 14, if the Legislature has adjourned sine die (adjournment with no appointed date for resumption), or if the bill is presented to the Governor fewer than 10 days (not counting Sundays) prior to final adjournment, the Governor has 20 days (counting Sundays) after the final day of the session to sign or veto the bill. If neither action is taken, the bill becomes law without the Governor’s signature.
Enacted redistricting plans are then filed with the Texas Secretary of State and become effective for the next primary and general elections. They are subject to any judicial action if a lawsuit is filed challenging the redistricting plans.
The last redistricting map passed by legislators just before adjournment was the Congressional District map, which incorporated two additional House seats based on the latest U.S. Census population numbers, bringing the total number of U.S. Representatives in Texas to 38.
The biggest change to our area is the Texas House seats map.
Four State Representatives have served residents in Denton County including Tan Parker, District 63; Lynn Stucky, District 64; Michelle Beckley, District 65; and Jared Patterson, District 106.
Under the new redistricting plan, Denton County will have five State Representatives including the aforementioned districts and District 57, a seat that will be wholly contained in Denton County whose representative will be decided in the November 2022 election.
District 57 covers much of the area surrounding Lake Lewisville to the west and north and far west Denton County including Ponder, Dish, northern Northlake, northern Argyle, south Denton near FM 2181, Corinth, northern Copper Canyon, northern Highland Village, and the Lake Cities area.
District 63 now covers the northeast tip of Fort Worth, southern Roanoke, Trophy Club, Flower Mound south of FM 1171, and parts of Lewisville.
District 64 now covers most of the City of Denton west of Loop 288, Krum, the eastern portion of Sanger and all of Wise County.
District 65 now covers southwest Denton County including the far northern portion of Fort Worth, Justin, most of Northlake, northeast Roanoke, Flower Mound north of FM 1171, Draper, southern Argyle, Bartonville, Lantana, Double Oak, most of Copper Canyon, south Highland Village, north Lewisville, and other areas east of us.
District 106 now covers most of The Colony, the southern tip of Hackberry and western portion of Frisco – all in Denton County.
Texas has a total of 150 Texas Representative Districts. Representatives serve two-year terms.
Our US Congressional and State Senate maps stay the same in this newspaper’s circulation area.
Congressional elections are held every two years with the next election, called a mid-term election, on Nov. 8, 2022. U.S. Representatives are elected for two-year terms.
Senators from all 31 Senate Districts across Texas will be elected on Nov. 8, 2022. Following the legislative redistricting process, all Senate seats are up for election. Based on a drawing, half of the senators will serve a two-year term with the other half filling regular four-year terms. State Senator Jane Nelson has announced she is not seeking re-election to her District 12 seat.
Filing for all available seats began on Nov. 13 and ends on Dec. 13. I will keep you informed on the candidates for each seat up for the primary election currently scheduled for March 1, 2022, the primary runoff on May 24, 2022, and the Nov. 8, 2022 election.
Contact Precinct 4 Commissioner Dianne Edmondson by email at [email protected] or phone her at 972-434-3960. You can also stop by her office in the Southwest Courthouse, 6200 Canyon Falls Drive, Suite 900, in Flower Mound.
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